Content
Among the many devices designed to help the gardener, and simply the owner of a country house, very interesting units called leaf blowers or garden vacuum cleaners have appeared relatively recently. Initially, they were invented primarily to help collect leaves and other plant debris in the fall, in order to facilitate the work of putting the site in order before winter. But the devices turned out to be very universal in their application - witty owners have adapted to using blowers year-round - both in winter to clear paths and roofs of snow, and for drying cars after washing so that there are no streaks left on them, and even for lighting a fire in country stoves or B-B-Q.
Owners of various workshops use them to clean their workplaces, blowing away wood and metal sawdust and other debris. Leaf blowers, like most devices that serve people, are produced with two types of engines: electric and gasoline. And even if you have power outages at your dacha, a gasoline unit will come to your aid at any moment.In addition, it is not tied to an electrical outlet and is very mobile. This is, for example, champion blower gb 226. Despite its compactness and relatively low weight, about 4 kg without fuel, this blower is capable of producing a powerful stream of air that sweeps away even small solid particles, not to mention leaves and twigs. Resourceful people even use it to inflate balloons.
Blowers and their classification
If you go to almost any modern gardening equipment store, your eyes will usually run wide from the abundance of models presented, including blowers. How can you navigate at least a little in this abundance and understand what you specifically need? It is necessary to understand that there are several classifications of leaf blowers. Firstly, they differ in the type of construction and, as a result, the coverage of the area that they can clean. Here the following categories of blowers are distinguished:
- Manual models are designed for cleaning small areas and work with them is usually quite short. These blowers are quite lightweight and compact and are most suitable for those who have a small area that requires regular maintenance.
- Backpack blowers, as the name suggests, are worn on the shoulders and allow you to have unrestricted freedom of movement and move quite significant distances without much strain.
- Wheel blowers are exclusively professional products that are used in large industrial facilities, parks, nature reserves, and so on.
Blowers also vary in the type of motor they use. Electric models are very convenient to use because they are light in weight, small in size, do not require special technical knowledge, and all modes and speeds are turned on and switched in the most basic way - by pressing a button or switch. Additionally, electric leaf blowers are virtually silent and environmentally friendly. The main disadvantage of an electric leaf blower is its connection to the electrical network, since even in terms of power, some models are almost as good as gasoline ones. The main advantage of gasoline leaf blowers is their power and mobility - they can cope with almost any difficult task of cleaning an area. And they can be used in a wide variety of inaccessible places, including places where there is no electricity at all. Well, the disadvantages of gasoline leaf blowers are exactly the same as those of all devices with gasoline engines: they make a lot of noise and poison the environment with exhaust gases.
Cordless blowers They seem to be a compromise between gasoline and electric, since they combine the main positive qualities of both. But not the power.
Champion blowers
In modern times, not every company can boast of a good balance between the quality of materials used and assembly and the cost of finished products. Typically, prices for products from well-known brands known for their quality are inflated to the point of impossibility.Although the assembly can be carried out in China, and even the products of world-famous companies are not immune from breakdowns and malfunctions. Champion products are famous, first of all, for their low cost, but thanks to the use of high-quality and wear-resistant components, they remain quite competitive with the world leaders in gardening and household equipment.
So does anyone electric blower or gasoline produced by Champion will have good performance characteristics, a long service life and a very reasonable price. Therefore, below we will consider the main models of Champion in more detail.
Gasoline models
Champion has a wide range of gasoline-powered blowers. Below is a comparative table of the main most common models of this type with their technical characteristics.
| Champion gb226 | Champion gbr333 | Champion gbr357 | Champion gbv326s | Champion ps257 | |
| Construction type | manual | knapsack | knapsack | Manual with shoulder strap | knapsack |
| power, kWt | 0,75 | 0,9 | 2,5 | 0,75 | 2,5 |
| Weight, kg | 5 | 7 | 9,2 | 7,8 | 9,5 |
| Air flow speed, m/s | 50 | 60 | 99,4 | ||
| Maximum productivity, cubic m/h | 612 | 800 | 1080 | 612 | By water -182l/h by air - 900-1200 |
| Available modes | blowing | blowing | blowing | Blowing, suction, grinding | Blowing, spraying |
| Engine capacity, cc | 26 | 32,6 | 56,5 | 26 | 56,5 |
| Gas tank capacity, l | 0,5 | 0,65 |
The first model - the Champion GB226 blower was already mentioned at the beginning of the article - is distinguished by sufficient power, but at the same time light weight and comparative ease of handling. One full gas tank can be used successfully for more than one hour. In addition, the engine of this model is specially protected from dust.
The Champion gbr333 blower has greater power and, accordingly, an even greater air flow rate. In fact, in all respects it surpasses the previous model and already claims to be called a blower for professionals. It is not without reason that many utility workers and professional gardeners choose this model.
Moreover, the body of the blower is made of impact-resistant plastic and can last for quite a long time.
The next model, the Champion gbr357 blower, is in all respects a classic representative of the professional class of tools. In addition to the above technical characteristics, this blower has a spacious translucent tank that allows you to control the fuel level. Its blower tube can be adjusted in length and ends with a convenient, widened nozzle. All controls of the Champion gbr357 are concentrated in one handle, which allows you to operate the blower with one hand.
That is, it has the additional functions of sucking up plant debris and grinding it. So at the end you can get ready-made material for forming a compost heap or for mulching tree trunks.The much greater weight of the Champion gbv 326s blower is obtained due to additional parts responsible for the suction process. But, thanks to the shoulder strap and the balanced center of gravity of the unit, working with it is not tiring.
Finally, the most interesting mechanism is the Champion ps257. According to the documents, this unit is called a gasoline backpack sprayer, although in appearance it is very similar to a blower. Indeed, its main advantage is the design itself, which allows you to use the device as a blower. Moreover, the power of the air flow is quite consistent with professional blowers - up to 100 m/s. Champion ps257 is able to cope with collecting mown grass in heaps and sweeping wet leaves from the lawn. Thus, you get a unit with several professionally performed functions at once.
Reviews about the operation of gasoline leaf blowers
Reviews about the operation of blowers are interesting and optimistic, which shows the interest in these units and their demand.
Electric models
Among the models powered by electricity, the Champion eb4510 blower seems to be the most worthy representative. First of all, it is small in size and weighs only 3.2 kg, which makes working with it completely unburdensome. With an electric motor power of 1 kW, the output air flow speed reaches 75 m/s, which is comparable to professional models. The most important thing is that the Champion eb4510 electric leaf blower is also a garden vacuum cleaner, since it can not only blow a stream of air, but also suck up leaves and small twigs from the surface of the ground. For this purpose, the package includes an extensive waste bin with a capacity of 45 liters, made of durable synthetic material. It is easy to remove and clean. For ease of use, the end of the tube of the Champion eb4510 vacuum cleaner is equipped with special support wheels. With the overall light weight of the unit, these wheels make the cleaning process a pleasure. In addition to everything, the blower has an air speed switch, which is very convenient for working in different modes.
Conclusion
Blowers are interesting and useful devices that will make the work of any homeowner easier. And, given the modern variety of choices, almost anyone can choose a model to suit their needs and financial capabilities.
